A BARBERS in Tullibody has announced it will open late on a Wednesday night to offer a quiet hour for children with autism to get their hair cut.

Lorraine Jack who works at Goodfellas Barber Shop in Tullibody said she was inspired to introduce the quiet hour because she had seen the stress her autistic niece suffers from when the shop is busy.

She then wrote a post on Facebook to gauge how popular the idea might be and was blown away by the response and has since received countless bookings.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Lorraine explained why she thinks it’ll be a hit for parents who have kids with autism.

She said: “My five-year-old niece is autistic and struggles badly with crowds so I thought it might be a good idea to have a set time where children could come in and be more relaxed.

“When it’s quiet it makes it a lot easier for them to get their hair cut. When it’s busy they get really stressed out. We get loads of kids in and it’s usually between 3pm and 5pm and the place is mobbed, so it doesn’t work for my niece.”

From now on, the shop will open late on a Wednesday night between 5pm and 6pm to accommodate those who need a more relaxed atmosphere. As an extra aid, there will be an iPad and other sensory toys for them to play with.

Lorraine added that the next two Wednesdays are already fully booked off the back of her Facebook post.

Not only are they inundated with bookings, but the shop will soon be moving location. As of Monday, June 3, Goodfellas will be found at Tron Court, and Lorraine added that in the new premises they may even extend the offer.

“Since we are already fully booked for the next couple of Wednesdays, we might look at extending the quiet hour into another night of the week,” Lorraine said.